San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-08
CINDE RELLA.
A Latter-Day Cinderella Who Capt
ured Her Prince.

Charlotte, the grim, the taciturn, the angu-
lar, is kneading bread with all the vigOr OF
her sinewy, lean arms. Charlotte makes no
pretensiOns to beauty, and rather hOuts femi-
nine adOrnments as an aid thereto. Johnny
and Kitty long ago settled II to their own
satisfaction that Charlotte had been at some
dim, remote period disappointed In love.
This explained away her fits Of gloomy medi-
tatiOn and lent halo of romance to her
past, of which Charlotte was happily I'M
aware.
Her hair, of pale drab shade, was drawn
tightly back into hideOus little pug; her
face, with its sharp eyes set under heavy
brows, wore a do-go-away-and-let-me-
expression which had secured her the right
of the way for score of years and more In
Mr.. Winchester Coles kitchen.
Times have changed since Charlotte first
came to live with Mr.. Winchester Cole and
his pretty, delicate young wife. The little
bride, inexperienced and lonely, soon came
to regard Charlotte as fit subject for small
condolences and friendly overtures. The
contrast between them was so sharp 1t may
not be going too far to say Charlotte seemed
like watchdog keeping guard over fairy.
When the blue-eyed, girllsh creature would
steal away for a little from her cold, jealous
husband to sit In the kitchen, Charlotte came
as near laughing as Nature would permit at
her curious questions and comments.
la, Missusl you're nOthin' but butter
fly, and butterflies shouldn't be troublin'
their heads about kitchen work an such
like" Charlotte would say, with telling
glance at her mistress fine silk dress and
soft hands.
Charlotte, Pm tired OF being considered
doll. / know he is disappointed in me.
He thinks am silly and babyish, was Mrs.
Coles rejoinder one morning as she tapped
her little slipper nervOusly In the doorway
of the dining-rOOm.
II wish you would teach me how to do
things, Charlotte" she urged in such visit
full tone that Charlotte melted forthwith,
and proceeded to spend an hour or two o
day In giving her lessons In general house
work.
But young Mrs. Coles successful bread
and cake baking did not bring her happiness.
The rosebud mouth had trick Of dropping
at the corners, and the big, blue eyes kept
on telling tales which damp pillowcase
confirmed. And CharlOtte-how she longed
to take Mr.. Winchester Cole by the shoul-
ders, shake him until the filling was loose in
his teeth, and compel him to get down on
his respectable knees and beg his little
wife's pardon for his neglect But there
was that IN the little wife's face, no less
than the steely CLEAN Of Mr.. Winchester
Coles gray eye, which restrained her from
interfering In the family difficulties.
And then, by-and-by, Kitty came, and af-
ter five years, Johnny; and one snowy night
when Johnny lay little pink mite in his
crib, young Mrs. Cole flor she was barely %
them called Charlotte to her bedside.
Charlotte, 1 feel as II / should not live
through this. You have been so good and
kind to me always 1t will be comfort to me
to know you are with my children. Promise
me to stay with them II possible, Charlotte,
until they are grown, and see TO them, and take
care Of them. You can do much better than
I. / was never very clever, am afraid, at
anything. And If "a red flush struggled
painfully up over her cheek he ma Ties
again-he is not very old, you know, AMI It's
quite likely-Charlotte, l want you l.Ien,
more than ever, to promise to stay with the
children"
And Charlotte had promised, and when
the little wife, so young and so unhappy,
was laid under snow no whittier than her
cheek, she renewed the promise to the dead
as she carefully tucked Kitty away for the
night and hushed the baby's fretful cries.
"Ah, yes, indeed" thinks Charlotte as she
goes on kneading busily, ''times have chang
ed" Her eyes fall on Kitty stoning raisins
in a sunny corner. Kitty, with her slender
shape losing none Of its graceful outlines In
her faded dress. Anarrowy sunbeam glances
from her head, and, descending in golden
food, converts her into q veritable Danae.
And Johnny, too, is there. 1t being Satur.
day, he Is home from school, and he Is de
sirous Of being as sociable as circumstances
will allow with present company. He EN-
ploys himself meanwhile In attempting u
Shoe the longsufferlng cat with empty hick
ory-nut shells.
II say, KIT, did you know the mlk-ma1
was dead gone on Charlotte2 He is, for q
fact. He's young thing and can't leave
his mother any longer than to fetch the
milk, but slid down the banisters this